World of WarCraft Chronicles
by DayDream Jedi
Summary: These stories chronicle the lives and adventures of the new heroes of Azeroth. In the latest chapter the Burning Crusade has begun! Jeriden and company are not just in danger of demons and blood elves. They're about to cross swords with the Horde...
1. Prologue: The Reign of Chaos

**World of Warcraft**

**Chronicles**

An Account of the New Heroes of Azeroth

**Prologue: In The Beginning (The Reign of Chaos)**

Call me Jeriden. Being born of goodly parents in the provinces of the kingdom of Lordaeron, I grew up without knowing much of what was going on during the course of the Second War. I was only four years of age during the war's height so I don't remember much. One image stayed with me however with such crystal clarity that one would think that it might be the memory of an adult. My father stands in the doorway, the sun silhouetting him. He turns to my mother and I and smiles. He hoists the family claymore onto his back and walks out the door. I break from my mother's gentle hand and rush to the door. I watch him as he marches down the road to war, until, as a little dot in the distance, he disappears over the horizon.

I never saw my father alive again. Later, I learned that he died much closer to home than we thought. His battalion engaged the forces of the Orcish Horde just a few miles south of our home village of Darrowshire. He fought bravely, slaying many orcs, trolls, and even a few ogres as well. It was one of the Horde's vile undead Death Knights that finally slew my father.

I also remember when they brought father's sword back. I don't remember what was said, just that the officer handed me the heavy blade and told me that it was now my responsibility to take care of my family.

I'm afraid I haven't told you very much of myself. I am the eldest of four children. Myself, little brother Balder and my little twin sisters Juhani and Lidia. I am one year older than Balder and two years older than my sisters.

I was seventeen going on eighteen when we began to hear the rumors. We had had peace for twelve years when we began to hear tell of some sort of death cult in the northlands and a plague. One day a rider came through town yelling that the great city of Stratholme had been razed…by the Alliance army under the command of Prince Arthas Menethil himself! It was said that the city had been destroyed to stop the spread of a plague of undeath that was transforming all that fell sick with it into mindless ghouls. Some months later, we heard that King Terenas had been assassinated… by none other than Arthas. The Undead Scourge, as it was now known, had wiped out the Capital City and was on the march across all of Lordaeron.

Our mother made immediate preparations to leave Darrowshire. Unfortunately the Scourge reached our village before we were able to leave. As the Alliance guards rushed to do battle with the undead horrors, mother brought our horse to the front of the house and hefted my sisters on to the saddle. Calling me over she told me to take my brother and sisters and ride as hard and as fast as I could, to go as far away from Lordaeron as possible. Fierce little brother Balder came running out of the house, father's sword in his young hands. I grabbed the sword from him as I helped mother seat him with my sisters.

"Mother, how are you to come with us?" asked my littlest sister Juhani, tears threatening to fall down her face.

"I must tend to the wounded men. The Alliance needs as many soldiers as they can get and you'll go faster with just yourselves. You can't afford to wait for me. The Scourge is upon us! Go my children! Go!"

As the sounds of the fighting drew closer to our home other, more sinister and horrifying noises, cut across the sounds of fighting. Horrible shrieks and snarlings and disgusting ripping noises.

"Go!" shouted Mother, "And don't look back!"

We rode away from Darrowshire, with the smell of ash and blood and death in our nostrils with our mother's last words echoing in my ears. My sisters cried openly as we galloped away and even stoic Balder let tears fall. If I was weeping I never noticed as I gripped the reins with white knuckles.

We rode through the day and through the night. We rode through the Hinterlands and down into the Hillsbrad Foothills. We hoped to make for the port town of Southshore but when we finally arrived we found that the town was packed with hundreds of refugees. There was no way four children without parents would be able to get onto a ship and I was old enough to know that there were many unsavory types who would be all too happy to take advantage of us, especially two little girls. We decided to move on.

We rode east through the foothills and entered the Arathi Highlands, home of the city-state of Stromgarde. Balder wanted to stop here as the Stromgardians were regarded as powerful warriors in there own right. But Mother's words and what I had seen at Darrowshire was still burned into my mind. Although Balder argued against it bitterly, we pressed on. The little thief did manage to swipe some food from the merchants before we left though.

We pressed on, turning south and heading into the dwarven lands of Khaz Modan. We kept heading south, even though my sisters had begun complaining about wanting to stop. Balder made the suggestion that we go to the dwarven city of Ironforge. It was a sensible suggestion, as the city was inside a mountain. But I didn't want to stop even there. Something was driving me on, further south to probably the last bastion of human power left, the kingdom of Stormwind in the southern continent of Azeroth. Despite my siblings' protests, we pressed on. The worst part of journey came when we crossed from Khaz Modan into the lands between Khaz Modan and Azeroth, the Burning Steppes. This blasted place was the site of the Orcish Horde's last stand against the Alliance at their fortress of Blackrock Mountain. The air there tasted of ash and brimstone and dried us out horribly. We used up our water very early on and we ran out of food soon after. It was too hard to eat anyway when the food literally turned to ashes in our mouths. We passed into the mountains; our faithful horse was feeling the strain as well as us and plodded forward with hard, deliberate steps and drooping head. We had reached the end of our collective ropes however. The poor animal collapsed dead to the ground as we finally made our way down from the mountains and the rocky ground gave way to grass and trees.

We stumbled forward, Balder and I supporting our tired and hungry sisters. We heard the babbling of a brook ahead and tried to run to it, laying our sisters down gently in the grass, but our malnourished muscles gave out before we had gone three yards. I tried to crawl toward the sound of the water but all my strength had been spent in the desperate days of flight away from Lordaeron. The last thing I heard before unconsciousness claimed me was the sound of a galloping horse, but that wasn't right because our horse had collapsed, right?

When I awoke I found myself in a soft bed with a priestess hovering over me. I had been asleep for three days I was told, as had my brother and sisters. We had been discovered by a hunter and brought to Northshire Abbey, home to the late Archbishop Alonsus Faol, founder and leader of the Clerics of Northshire, the predecessors of the Paladins. The Clerics had been instrumental during the First War between the Orcs and Stormwind but had also been devastated by it. Faol and his apprentice, Uther the Lightbringer reformed them into the Knights of the Silver Hand or paladins.

After explaining our story to the Father Abbot he allowed us sanctuary for as long as we liked. It had nothing to do with the fact that Balder would probably to father's sword and try to impale me if I wanted to press on to Stormwind. Besides, Northshire was close enough.

It would be here, in this tucked away corner of the world that we would be introduced to our futures. The way of the sword, of the Light, of the shadows, all of that and a bit more would be made known to us in our time at the Abbey. The adventure had just begun.

**Author's Note: **I am NOT going to be writing everything that happens to Jeriden and friends from beginning to really starts when we get to the events of Wrath of the Lich King. There is much matiriel to cover though and I will try to get to all the major events of what happens to the party during old WoW, Burning Crusade, Karazhan and the Caverns of Time.


	2. Part I: Seasons of War, Chapter 1

**PART I:**

**SEASONS OF WAR**

"_Four years have passed since the mortal races banded together_

_and stood united against the might of the Burning Legion._

_Though Azeroth was saved, the tenuous pact between the_

_Horde and the Alliance, has all but evaporated._

_The drums of war thunder once more."_

_-World of WarCraft Intro_

_From the journals of Jeriden._

Four years have passed since Jeriden and his brother and sisters have arrived at Northshire and their time has been spent well here. Away from the death and destruction in Lordaeron, they have each grown skilled in particular areas. Jeriden has become a strong warrior, Balder a cunning rogue, Lidia has become one of the first of an increasing number of women paladins and Juhani has become a talented novice mage. But their idyllic life in Northshire is about to end. The Kingdom of Stormwind is troubled, her King, Varian Wrynn, having vanished without a trace. Bandits and other villainous elements encroach on the kingdom. Jeriden and the others see the first signs of this when Defias Brotherhood bandits try to take over the vineyards. After driving the bandits from the valley, Marshall McBride and the Abbott suggest that the siblings leave Northshire and set out into the world. Acting on this advice, the siblings depart the home they've known for four years. Little do they know that they are taking the first steps on a fantastic journey that will lead them into long-forgotten realms and wonders beyond imagining!

After proving themselves helping out the Stormwind guard in and around the Elwynn Forest and town of Goldshire, the siblings arrive in the province of Westfall. This breadbasket region of the kingdom has seemingly been abandoned by the Alliance and now a coalition of former soldiers and farmers tries to resist the deprivations of the Defias Brotherhood. Jeriden and family quickly help tip the balance back in favor of the people. After some investigating, they discover that the secret hideout of the Brotherhood is in the once prosperous mines of Westfall. Joining up with a dwarven hunter named Kahrth Ironcutter, they infiltrate the Deadmines, but immediately run up against opposition. Lidia and Juhani are separated from the group and encounter a vicious Defias wizard named Murdoc, who captures and tortures them. He is even about to force himself on Lidia when her brothers and Kahrth arrive and drive him off. Undeterred, they strike deeper into the heart of the Deadmines and discover that the secret weapon they've heard so much about is a mighty battleship, constructed in secret and ready to be unleashed on Stormwind. The Defias' leader, Edwin Van Cleef, furious at what the Stormwind nobles did to him and the others of the Stonemasons after Stormwind had been rebuilt now seeks revenge by turning the city into burning pyre once again. The heroes cannot allow him to do this and defeat Van Cleef and his crew and manage to sink the ship, thanks to some explosive trickery on the part of Balder. After receiving thanks from Gryan Stoutmantle and the citizens of Westfall, the party heads for the town of Lakeshire.

**The Secret Lives of Characters (1)**

**Jeriden**

I got the inspiration for this from_ Rurouni Kenshin_. Think of it as extended Author's notes, especially for these early summaries. So on to Jeriden. He basically serves as the Alliance main protagonist in WoW Chronicles as well as the most central protagonist. I have to admit that he is based very much on myself. Thankfully, in the environment of WoW you can actually get away with that as long as your character isn't killing Illidan and Arthas with single blows. Still, you do have to strike a balance. All that being said, Jeriden knows and is able to do so many things that I shall never know (Swordfighting for one). He's a lot more self-confident than I am too. Now thw character model I came up for him is what his enemies would call, "the noble idiot." Not that Jeriden IS an idiot (his brother Balder begs to differ), but that he is a very selfless character, always standing up for the weak and innocent. He has a strong, unyielding sense of justice. He is a man who doesn't fight so much for principals, powers or nations but for people. To extend his trust to someone is a deeply personal act and when that trust is betrayed, he takes it very personally. He is willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and that includes members of the Horde as well. All except Forsaken that is. As far as he and his siblings are concerned, if it's Undead, it needs killing. All in all, there is no one particular inspiration for Jeriden other than he is The Hero. To put it in terms of the game Mass Effect, Jeriden is a Paragon of good. Now if he can just find a good woman who'll have him, everything'll be great!


	3. Chapter 2

The next few weeks are spent adventuring across Redridge and into Duskwood. The party makes quite a name for themselves as they save Lakeshire from Orcs and Gnolls and help clear out Worgen and undead in Duskwood. Their worst fight to date comes in the form of the undead Abomination Patches, but they are still able to slay it. Heading back to Stormwind on a break after all of this, they run into a Night Elf druidess and a Gnome mage who joins their Company during a raid on the riots going on in the city's stockades (more trouble from the Defias). After that they spent the next few months travelling all over the Eastern Kingdoms and even out into Kalimdor, visiting such wondrous places as Ironforge and Darnassus. On a trip to Theramore, the party uncovers evidence that a missing Alliance diplomat is actually none other than the missing King of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn! Acting under the directions of Jaina Proudmoore, the seven of the Company eventually manage to turn up a traitor that has information as to where the kidnapped King was taken. Unfortunately, the King is not there when they go to investigate. Jaina vows to keep searching until Varian is found. The Company departs Theramore, with Balder needling Jeriden about his (supposed) crush on Lady Jaina.

Afterwards, the group travels back to the Eastern continents and finds themselves in Stranglethorn Vale where they get mixed up in the events surrounding the rise of the Trolls' Blood God, Hakkar the Soulflayer. Even though they almost meet their deaths in the maze of Zul'Gurub, they manage to slay the creature.

Traveling north, the company finds themselves in the Burning Steppes and uncovers a trail that leads them to once again confront the events surrounding the disappearance of King Varian. For months now as they've travelled, they've seen how the loss of the King and the corruption of the nobles has eaten away at the Kingdom. Now they uncover a trail of clues that leads them to a man named Reginald Windsor. Windsor is being held prisoner in the depths of Blackrock Mountain. Windsor helps the Company discover that Victor Nefarious, the man leading the orcs in the mountain, is actually Nefarian, a dragon of the Black Flight. His sister Onyxia is destabilizing the Kingdom of Stormwind to further the duo's plans to destroy the mortal races. And just who is it that Onyxia is masquerading as? None other than Lady Katrana Prestor, the Royal Advisor. Though it's a split decision as to which dragon they have to face off against, Windsor convinces the Company that Onyxia, with her influence over Stormwind, is the greater threat and must be dealt with as soon as possible. To that end, they travel back to Stormwind and prepare to confront the traitor.

**The Secret Lives of Characters**

**Blader (2)**

Since Balder is supposed to be Jeriden's brother, it seemed only natural to model him after my own brother. There is also the fact that Balder is a character that my brother used to play on WoW. That said, Balder as a character is much less snarky than my own brother has a tendency to be although Balder does retain much of that 'GOSH-frikkin'-idiot' that my brother has. Balder and Jeriden aren't perfect brothers and that will come to be seen in the Burning Crusade Saga.

As a rogue, Balder prefers somewhat more expedient solutions to problems. He sometimes gets exasperated with the way his brother and sisters may choose to handle a situation but ultimately he is a good guy at heart and wants to do the right thing. Although rogues prefer stealth and cunning in battle and normally use smaller weapons, Balder makes use of twin katannas when in a major fight. He also is very fond of guns and has at least one rifle, a pair of pistols and a pair of holdout pistols. Balder doesn't make it generally known exactly how many weapons he possesses on his person. Beings who have thought that they have successfully disarmed him have learned about his aces-in-the-hole at dreadful cost to themselves. He doesn't have any qualms against using poison on his weapons but tends to avoid the more virulent kinds.


	4. Chapter 3: Hero's March

**Hero's March**

After days of hard riding, Jeriden and the others finally arrived back in Goldshire. It was surprising what awaited them there. They hadn't known what quite to expect but it was heartening. Soldiers had been sent from all the nearby regions that siblings had adventured through in the past year. It was not an overlarge force; it couldn't even be properly called an army. Just a couple of guards had been sent from Northshire, Elwynn, and Lakeshire. Gryan Stoutmantle had sent a couple of members of the People's Militia and Ravenwood had sent a few members of the Ebon Watch out of Duskwood. Even a couple of Southshore soldiers had shown up. Kahrth had called in a favor with an old Mountaineer buddy and now that friend and two other Ironforge Mountaineers had come. Siri had sent for a friend of hers and that friend, a Darnassian Sentinel and two Huntresses had also come. Even two of Jak's Gnome engineer buddies had shown up. All in all, with the four siblings, Kahrth, Jak and Siri they numbered thirty. Marshal Dughan saluted them and they were off to Stormwind.

Windsor met them all at the gates as promised.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked Jeriden, casting an approving eye at the force they had assembled. Jeriden grinned back at Windsor. The tough old Marshall certainly looked better, clad in the gleaming armor of Stormwind.

"We are ready when you are Marshall," Jeriden replied.

"Then let us go forth and end this masquerade," he said.

It proved that this was going to be no cakewalk, for the minute their miniature army passed through Stormwind's outer gate than Katrana Prestor's magically amplified voice echoed across the Valley of Heroes.

"Seize him! Seize the worthless criminal and his allies!"

From the opposite end of the bridge, flanked by statues of the Alliance's greatest heroes, General Marcus Jonathan and three of his knights rode towards them as the footmen on duty closed in around them. Windsor calmly walked forward and faced the mounted general.

"Reginald, you know that I cannot let you pass," said Jonathan.

"You must do what you think is right, Marcus. We served together under Turalyon. He made us both the men that we are today. Did he err with me? Do you truly believe my intent is to cause harm to our Alliance? Would I shame our heroes? Holding me here is not the right decision, Marcus. "

The general paused. Jeriden cautiously moved his hand to his sword and noticed Balder doing the same and had no doubt everyone else was as well. Though it pained him greatly to think that they would have to spill the blood of noble soldiers of Stormwind to uncover Onyxia's treachery, they would have to do what they would have to do.

At length, Marcus Jonathan, gazing sadly at Windsor replied, "I am ashamed, old friend. I know not what I do anymore. It is not you that would dare bring shame to the heroes of legend - it is I. It is I, and the rest of these corrupt politicians. They fill our lives with empty promises, unending lies. We shame our ancestors. We shame those lost to us... forgive me, Reginald."

"Dear friend, you honor them with your vigilant watch. You are steadfast in your allegiance. I do not doubt for a moment that you would not give as great a sacrifice for your people as any of the heroes you stand under."

Jeriden glanced around him at the statues that flanked the bridge into Stormwind. Danath Trollbane of Stromgarde. Kurdran Wildhammer, dwarf of the Aerie Peak. Khadgar, the mage who was apprentice to the infamous Medivh. Alleria Windrunner, High Elven Ranger-Captain of Quel'Thalas. And situated before them so that all had to piss him as they entered the city, the Paladin-General Turalyon, once lieutenant to Stormwind's mightiest hero, Anduin Lothar. For a moment, Jeriden tried to imagine being as revered as these great heroes.

"Now, it is time to bring her reign to and end, Marcus," cut in Windsor, "Stand down, old friend."

There was a pause. Then Marcus smiled widely and held out an arm, palm raised to the side.

"Stand down! Can you not see that heroes walk among us? " he proclaimed. Jeriden blinked in surprise and Balder nudged him.

"Hear that? We haven't even taken down the scaly witch and we're heroes already!"

"Only difference between a legend and a hero is that the heroes are usually still alive," said their sister Lidia, "It's not over yet."

"Move aside! Let them pass! " commanded General Jonathan, "Reginald Windsor and his allies are not to be harmed! They shall pass through untouched! Go, Reginald. May the Light guide your hand."

Windsor and Jonathan saluted each other, then General Jonathan saluted Jeriden and the others. The way unobstructed, Windsor, Jeriden and Company marched over the bridge and into the city.

Word traveled like wildfire and masses of people lined the roads leading through the city districts to the Company's ultimate destination, Stormwind Keep. As they marched, Jeriden could hear snatches of what the people, including many Guards were saying.

"A living legend!"

"Nerves of Thorium!"

"Make way! Make way!"

"May the Light be with you all!"

"About bloody time someone stood up to Prestor and the Nobles!"

Nobody deluded themselves into thinking that most of the comments were meant for anything other than Windsor. Despite everything that had happened to them over the last year, Jeriden and Company were still largely unknown.

Just as they arrived at the entrance to the Keep, Windsor held up a clenched fist, the army signal to halt. He turned and regarded the little army.

"Be brave, friends. The reptile will thrash wildly. It is an act of desperation. When you are ready, give me the word. The dragon hides behind a royal façade and with these tablets we will reveal her for what she is... If what I have seen holds true, I will not survive this battle, friend. It is you that must finish what I have started. Are you forces ready? Are you ready? We will begin on your command."

"Marshall, are sure what you saw was true? We will be by your side, we won't allow any harm to come to you," Jeriden said. Windsor regarded him sadly.

"My fate is sealed. It is your destiny that is not yet fixed my friend. Don't worry about me, just watch your own backs. Ready then?"

Jeriden turned and looked into the eyes of his siblings. The three of them gazed back at him, proud determination on their faces, a feeling that was reflected in the entire group. Jeriden turned back and nodded at Windsor.

"Onward!" cried the Marshall. As one, the group marched past the unresisting Royal Guards and into the Keep. After a short ascent up the Grand Hall, they entered the Throne room. There stood Anduin Wrynn, the 10-year-old King of Stormwind, who was King only in name thanks to Prestor. The traitorous witch herself stood to Anduin's left as he gazed uneasily at the company of warriors that came marching so brazenly into the throne room. Highlord Bolvar Fordragon, a burly man in armor, drew his sword and stepped in front of the boy king. It was Windsor who made the first move however.

"Majesty, run while you still can. Lady Prestor is not what you think her to be..."

"To the safe hall, your majesty," added Bolvar, still shielding the boy who took off for the other side of the room. However, the boy king stopped and looked back just once and Jeriden could've sworn that the boy performed a short bow in their direction before being hustled off by a pair of Royal Guards. Katrana Prestor merely gazed imperiously at the little army that had assembled in the throne room.

"The masquerade is over, Lady Prestor. Or should I call you by your true name... Onyxia..." Reginald stated, his voice echoing through the room, spitting out the witch's true name as if it had been a particularly vile piece of food. Prestor merely threw back her head and laughed, the sound eerily deep and foreboding for a woman.

"You will be incarcerated and tried for treason, Windsor. I shall watch with glee as they hand down a guilty verdict and sentence you to death by hanging... And as your limp body dangles from the rafters, I shall take pleasure in knowing that a mad man has been put to death. After all, what proof do you have? Did you expect to come in here and point your fingers at royalty and leave unscathed?"

"You will not escape your fate, Onyxia. It has been prophesied - a vision resonating from the great halls of Karazhan. It ends now... " Windsor said as he brought forth the two small tablets he had brought with him from Blackrock.

"The Dark Iron's thought these tablets to be encoded. This is not any form of coding, it is the tongue of ancient dragon."

Was it Jeriden's imagination or did Onyxia's cruel grin falter just a bit?

"Listen, dragon. Let the truth resonate throughout these halls!" Windsor began to read from the tablets and as he did so unknown, unheard sounds flowed through the consciousness of everyone present. Bolvar Fordragon suddenly gasped and clutched at the medallion around his neck. Turning to Prestor, he slowly began to back away from her, sword pointed straight at her_._ She began to laugh again, the sound growing deeper. Then she began to change. To their horrified amazement, she grew in height until she was nearly ten feet tall. Wings sprouted out of her back, the rest of her body a nightmarish cross between black dragon and human.

"Curious... Windsor, in this vision, did you survive? I only ask because one thing that I can and will assure is your death. Here and now," the dragon-woman growled.

"Dragon filth!" snarled Bolvar, "Guards! Guards! Seize this monster!"

"DO NOT LET HER ESCAPE!" bellowed Windsor.

Before anyone could do anything else, Onyxia lunged forward and swiped, her claws raking bloody lines over Windsor's chest. There was a flash of light and Onyxia was gone. Jeriden and Lidia were about to jump to Windsor's aid when there was a cacophony of snarls. The Royal Guards ringing the room had suddenly turned into black dragonspawn.

"ATTACK!" bellowed Lidia, and the fight was on! The dragonspawn may have been big and tough but against the combined might of the races of the Alliance and an extremely furious Bolvar Fordragon.

As soon as the last dragonspawn fell to the ground, Bolvar immediately rushed to the side of Windsor.

"Reginald... I... I am sorry," he said, a definite catch in his voice.

"Bol... Bolvar... the medallion... use..." but Reginald Windsor, Marshall of Stormwind, Hero of the Alliance, could stay in the mortal realm no longer and quietly gave up the ghost. Jeriden and the others would forever remember this day as the day that one of Stormwind's greatest had perished.

**The Secret Lives of Characters**

**Lidia and Juhani (3)**

Twins-the holy grail of dating (According to NCIS' Tony DiNozzo)! And Lidia and Juhani ARE twins, both in-story and in 'real life.' My brother and I had made up two female human characters to play (One player I knew put it very well-Us dudes want something pretty to look at while we're running around!) and it just so happened that his Paladin, called Lidia and my Mage (Juhani) ended up by sheer coincidence having the same face, the same hairstyle and same hair color! So I thought to myself: these would be excellent sisters for Jeriden and Balder!

In the story I kept the fact that Lidia was a paladin and Juhani was a mage. As to their names, Lidia was made up by my brother (as far as I know) and Juhani is named after the Cathar Jedi Knight from Knights of the Old Republic. Initially the character models for them were based very much on their classes i.e. Lidia, as a paladin, was very tomboyish while Juhani was very demure and 'proper.' At one point I even thought to myself that Juhani might have been a bit too much like a Jaina Proudmoore clone. So I did what any revolutionist author would do: I retconned 'em! (I'm looking at YOU Blizzard!) Lidia is now the very definition of a Lady Warrior, trustworthy, loyal, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, brave, pure and mostly reverent. That doesn't mean she can't hand you your butt on a silver platter. Like her brother, she's a strong believer in people and her family and often plays mediator between her sometime quarrelsome brothers. It makes what happens to Jeriden and Balder during Burning Crusade all the more shocking to her.

As far Juhani, she has become the spitfire of the siblings, not a tomboy, but mostly the polar opposite of her sister. No wonder she has a thing for fire magic… She also has a small streak of impetuousness and that's going to get her in trouble during the Burning Crusade.


	5. Chapter 4

**The Saga Continues**

They buried Reginald Windsor a hero. Jeriden and the others were lauded and given medals but once all the niceties were taken care of, word came from Jaina Proudmoore that a large black dragon had been spotted flying over Dustwallow. The Company departs for Theramore. First they deal with Onyxia, then her villainous brother. With the help of some extra allies summoned by the Alliance and Lady Proudmoore herself, they track down Onyxia's lair. Jaina proves to be a big help and quite the dragon slayer. When all is said and done, Onyxia's head is carted back to Stormwind and displayed on the arches leading to the entrance to the city. It further turned out that the Alliance didn't need to deal with Nefarian, his chromatic dragons or his orc allies. The Horde, alerted to the rising power of the Dark Horde allied with Nefarian, had sent its own against the mighty black dragon and they had slain him and stuck his head on a particularly large pike in Orgrimmar. So ended the machinations of the spawn of Deathwing and the Company's first year of adventuring.

A couple of months later, the Company was in Kalimdor when they encountered a green dragon guarding a portal to the Emerald Dream. The green dragons were known to be peaceful, but this one attacked and nearly killed them. Returning the information to Darnassus, Siri, resident druid of the party, discovers from Cenarion Circle rumors, that something is amiss in the Emerald Dream. She suspects it may even have something to do with why Shan'Do Stormrage has disappeared. Close to this time, there are the first stirrings of the Silithid in the Tanaris desert. This leads to the Second War of the Shifting Sands, in which Jeriden and the others serve with distinction, though they are not among those who slay the Old God C'Thun. Also, they meet Brax and Kar'jin for the first time, though it is only in passing and none of the adventurers speak to each other.

Only a few months after that, the Scourge renews their assault on the living, several necropoli arriving at various locations throughout Azeroth, especially Stormwind and the Undercity. These are eventually beaten back, except for Naxxramas, the citadel of the Lich King's Lieutenant, Kel'Thuzad. The company headed to the Plaguelands, but they never boarded the floating necropolis. Later they would learn that Brax and Kar'jin had also been there. Jeriden and his siblings make a more personal and disturbing discovery. Their mother, who had originally enabled them to escape Darrowshire, was still alive in the Plaguelands. Well, not really alive. She was one of the Forsaken now, undead who had broken free from the Lich King. Though she sided with the Forsaken purely out of defense, she lived mostly alone. Initially she doesn't want to reveal herself to her now full-grown children (Jeriden would have been almost 23, Balder almost 22 and the sisters both almost 20), a Scourge attack reveals the truth. After a tearful reunion, they make their mother promise to keep in contact with them.

A few months later, Juhani is awakened by a nightmare involving the Dark Portal and a being she's never met by the name of Illidan Stormrage…

**To Be Continued in**

**WORLD OF WARCRAFT CHRONICLES**

**THE BURNING CRUSADE**


	6. Interlude: The Dark Portal

**WORLD OF**

**WARCRAFT**

**Chronicles**

**Burning Crusade**

**Prologue: The Dark Portal**

Juhani tossed and turned, the blankets tangled around her legs. She dreamed. In her dreams, she saw a desert, clouded by a dust storm. Lightning flashed overhead while thunder rumbled. She seemed to be floating towards something in the distance that had a pale blue glow to it. A voice echoed around her, a deep, menacing, grating voice.

"Betrayer… In truth, it was_ I_ who was betrayed! Imprisoned for _ten thousand years. _Banished from my own homeland. But my blind eyes can see what others cannot."

She was drawing closer to the glow in the distance and could now see that it was centered around some kind of structure, an arch perhaps. It radiated an aura of terrible evil and she didn't want to get any closer to it. Some force, however, kept drawing her ever closer.

"And now you dare seek to enter _my realm_?" boomed the voice. Juhani could clearly see what it was now, a massive stone pedestal and ramp with an ornate arch at the top, shaped like a door. She let out a strangled gasp. _The Dark Portal. _She had seen it once before but it had only faintly glowed, cold and inactive. Now, it began to blaze with an eldritch light, the doorway between worlds opening once again.

"You are not prepared…" murmured the voice.

She began to see a series of images. A being that resembled an eredar demon but seemed to be something more. A High Elf with glowing green eyes and blood-red armor sucking the mana out of a mana wyrm. Orcs and humans and elves and tauren fighting in a strange world with a flashing, blood-colored sky. The images shifted one last time, bringing into focus what she first thought was a demon, crouched on the ground, staring at what looked like an orc skull. Then the demon turned towards and she saw that he seemed to be part night elf. The elf demon launched himself into the sky, strange runic tattoos on his bare torso began to glow with a demonic green light. She could see that he wore a blinfdfold, but its eyes burned bright green underneath the cloth.

"YOU ARE NOT PREPARED!" The voice beloowed as the demon elf swept down upon her. With a strangled cry, Juhani sat bolt upright in bed, sweat streaming down her face.

Author's note: According to the official timeline, Burning Crusade begins a year after vanilla WoW. I'm modifying that to conform to real world time so that BC starts two years after vanilla WoW. Varian will not appear until just before the events of Wrath of the Lich King.


	7. BC Chapter 1: Beyond the Dark Portal

**Chapter 1**

**Beyond the Dark Portal**

_Six years after the Third War…_

Jeriden, Balder, Lidia and Juhani travel to the Blasted Lands along with their companions: Kahrth Ironcutter, Dwarven hunter, Siri Shadowleaf, Night elven druidess, Jak Springsprocket, Gnome Rogue, and new addition Arkannos the Draenei Shaman. They were led there after a mysterious dream that Juhani had which was followed by an attack of demons on the major cities of Azeroth. A distressing message also arrived from Northwatch Keep, guardian of the Dark Portal: The Portal is open again.

Arriving at the foot of the portal, the company finds that the initial demonic invasion has been repeled and the forces of both the Alliance and the Horde are kinda-sorta working together to fight the demon onslaught on the other side. Attempting to go through the Portal, Jeriden and the others are halted by an Alliance officer. He warns them that many that attempt to go through either die or go mad and he doesn't want to have to deal with crowds of mercenaries. After Jeriden and the others explain to him who they are he reluctantly relents. They approach the portal but hesitate to step through. Jeriden masters his courage and goes through.

**The Secret Lives of Characters**

**Kahrth Ironcutter (4)**

Kahrth is the resident dwarf of the group and is a very jovial, easy-going son of a gun. He is one of the few characters I made up for the Chronicles that hasn't suffered a class change. He is and always will be a hunter. That said his personality has required me to make a few tweaks to his mannerisms from time to time. I decided that I didn't want him to be the typical Blizzard Barley McFrothbeard drinking dwarf, so I made pipe smoking his chosen vice (although he does enjoy a good drink just like any dwarf.) Also a certain other character was also a hunter and Kahrth had a low-level rivalry with her until I realized it felt too much like ripping off Legolas and Gimli.

As a hunter, Kahrth will have a variety of pets that he uses in battle, especially when we get to exotic locales like Outland and Northrend. He has a particularly tempestuous relationship with his first pet, an Arathi raptor named Shorty (named after a dwarf mortar-man in WC3 and because Shorty is actually twice the height of his "master"). Kahrth's first name comes from Carth Onasi of Knights of the Old Republic fame but his last name is completely made up.


	8. BC Chapter 2: Hellfire Peninsula

**Chapter 2: Hellfire Peninsula**

The transition through the portal seems to last a moment and an eternity. Once on the other side, Jeriden is momentarily disoriented. There seems to be no sky in Outland, just the vault of the heavens with former Draenor's moons hanging low over the horizon and ribbons of strange energy rippling across the 'sky.' Before him, the red, fractured terrain of the Peninsula is covered in demons. As he descends the steps of this much larger version of the Dark Portal, he watches as soldiers of the Alliance and the Horde engage the Legion in terrible battle. The others come through behind him and are equally as shocked as Jeriden. Balder is ready to take the fight to the demons, but the Alliance commander in charge tells them to go to Honor Hold and help there. As the mad battle rages around them, they climb on a flight of Gryphons that wing them towards Honor Hold, a Second War-era fortress that has stood in this blasted land for over twenty years.

* * *

**_Author's Note: Just so all the readers are clear, all this story summary stuff is to build up to the actual story that will be starting in Wrath of the Lich King. If I had started this back when Burning Crusade came out, it would be a proper story, but since I haven't, I just don't have the time or the inclination to write EVERYTHING I've made up for this story. So just bear with me for a little while._**


	9. BC Chapter 3: Honor Hold

**Chapter 3: Honor Hold**

When they arrive at the fort, another officer directs them to the commander of Honor Hold, the legendary Danath Trollbane, who was one of the leaders of General Turalyon's armies twenty years ago.

As they walk across the grounds to reach the command barracks, they can see how the Hold has endured the decades of almost constant warfare. The soldiers, the Sons of Lothar, are hardened and grizzled, the ears of harsh living lined deeply on their faces. When they reach the central barracks Trollbane himself greets them. For Jeriden and Lidia, amateur students of history, it is a thrill to meet Trollbane in the flesh.

Trollbane explains the situation out here in the Hellfire Peninsula. The Legion is invading in full force, led by the monstrous demon, Doomlord Kazzak. There's also the mysterious Fel Horde, orcs who have become even more savage and barbaric than the original Horde was, have control of Hellfire Citadel right in the middle of the peninsula. There are also sighting of the Illidari, demons and other Outland creatures loyal to Illidan Stormrage, the self-proclaimed Lord of Outland. Currently the Legion occupies all of the Alliance's and the Horde's attention. The Fel Horde is not actively fighting either power but Trollbane suspects that is because they are building their forces for a major offensive. He directs the company to where they can best be of help so that soldiers can be freed up to fight. Balder wants to fight and doesn't like the thought of being an errand boy but Lidia reminds him that they need to prove themselves so that they can be trusted with the big jobs later. He still doesn't like it but agrees.


	10. BC Chapter 4: Into The Land of Fire

**Chapter 4: Into the Land of Fire**

Life in the Hellfire Peninsula is difficult if nigh impossible. In addition to the demons and Fel Orcs, the native wildlife of the peninsula is deadlier than most Azerothian fauna. Felboars, Slashers and Burrowers constantly harass the Party as they travel.

They are doing many jobs for the Alliance and plenty there are, although they are wise enough to not attack the massive Fel Reavers.

As they ride out from Honor Hold one day on another assignment from Trollbane, they are watched. On a cliff overlooking the Hold, a group of Horde mercenaries watches them. One of the group, a blood elf paladin woman, remarks that the Party are likely some of the adventurers that the Alliance have hired to guard their caravans. The apparent leader of the group, a young orc warrior responds that if that is the case, they will have to kill their Alliance counterparts.


	11. BC Chapter 5: Encounter With the Horde

**Chapter 5: Encounter With the Horde**

Jeriden and the others are guarding a caravan of fresh water from the Zangarmarsh. On the way back to Honor Hold the Horde mercenaries, including the orc warrior, the blood elf woman, a troll priest/witch doctor, a Tauren shaman, and a male blood elf warlock, ambush them. Jeriden, Balder, Lidia, Juhani, Kahrth, Siri, Jak and Arkannos fight back but find themselves evenly matched. Jeriden and the orc speak to each other as they duel. Eventually Jeriden gets the orc to agree to a compromise. They will give the Horde mercenaries the excess water and food the caravan has and a little more under the pretext that it's to help fight against the Legion. The orc, who goes by the name of Brax, accepts more out of surprise than anything else. As Jeriden and the others leave, Brax remarks to his comrades that he's never met such an odd human before. The blood elf warlock, Cal'vaen, snorts and remarks that Jeriden's mercy will get him killed.


End file.
